“The Corner and the Maqām are two rubies from the rubies of Paradise. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has effaced their light, and had Allah not effaced their light, they would have illuminated what is between the East and the West.”

Narrated by Aḥmad (no. 7000), al-Tirmidhī (no. 878), and Ibn Ḥibbān (no. 3710), from the narration of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ (no. 3559) and Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb wa al-Tarhīb (no. 1147).

Brief Explanation of the Hadith

In the Sacred House of Allah, there are clear signs indicating the power and greatness of Allah, Exalted be He, and among the greatest of them are the Corner (Rukn) and the Maqām. The Corner refers to the Black Stone located at the corner of the Kaʿbah, and the Maqām — Maqām Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) — is a stone facing the Kaʿbah upon which Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) stood when building the House.
The Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — clarified their virtue and status, stating that they are two rubies from the rubies of Paradise. Ruby is a well-known precious stone, valued for its rarity and high worth. Their origin is truly from Paradise; however, when they descended to earth, their attributes changed, and Allah removed their light. The wisdom behind this removal may be so that faith remains a matter of the unseen rather than something visible, for the faith that brings reward is belief in the unseen.
It is also said that their light was removed due to the sins of the children of Adam, as mentioned in another ḥadīth: “Were it not for what touched them of the sins of the children of Adam, they would have illuminated what is between the east and the west.”
Another view is that creation could not bear the intensity of their light, just as eyes cannot bear looking at the sun.
The ḥadīth highlights the virtue of the Corner and the Maqām and their great status.
It also serves as a reminder of the impact of sins and disobedience — that they can affect even inanimate objects, so how much more so the hearts of the children of Adam?!